Children being allowed to go to the toilet at school

Fights? No. Never have been. But vandalism seems to be a growing problem.

Are there also huge queues for the toilets during break times like in schools? As others have said children often can’t go at break times either as there’s not enough time.

But for some people this just isn't the case. I can go from not needing the toilet to bring completely desperate in well under an hour. I thought this was normal when I was a teenager so I didn't even mention it to anyone, let alone get medical attention for it.

I could never have a job like yours because of this but children don't have a choice, they have to go to school.

That's not to say I don't understand the problems schools face, the vandalism etc. It is a hard balance but there has to be a better way than refusing to let kids go.

The toilets are kept locked when unsupervised to ensure they are usable for children at set times.

Please think how you would like to see resources used. A TA? In class supporting children’s education or stood guard to ensure children are not trashing and destroying property? Or would you rather money be spent on staff to stand outside every toilet. The corridors filled with all these children who are constantly avoiding lessons and couldn’t care less about their education?

No, parents don’t have a point. This is the state of schools now. It’s either find a different school or home educate. Don’t join a school and then moan afterwards you don’t like their rules or ethos.

It’s not normal or healthy to not allow people to use a toilet when they need to. It’s barbaric. Yes, if need be resource should be spent on someone who can be radioed to escort a child to the toilet and back. Or you give kids a toilet pass and if they spend too much time out of lesson or messing around in there theirs is removed. But the current system doesn’t work and is inhumane.

It really doesn’t. I just have a far better idea of what the inside of schools are like and the behaviour.

The school did listen and gave you a perfectly good answer.

Remember you’re the one who said you would refuse to show your daughters medical notes. So there was zero compromise on your behalf.

You want a spare staff member to cover a whole school for toilet runs? Or several staff? You want all teachers to start recording toilet trips and seeing patterns at the end of the week?

Maybe parents could start volunteering their time to stand outside toilets and do the toilet run! Would you? I wouldn’t, but then my children have never had an issue with the locked toilets.

Nope. Top ranked by Ofsted. Very affluent area.

And as matter of fact, the posh independent school I worked in for a while had endless toilet related problems.

Why should the school see her private medical notes? It should be enough that her parents say she has the condition. They don't need to see anything else .

That’s where you are wrong.
A school can request for evidence, just a simple GP letter with a diagnosis will suffice.
And if a pupil needs extra time/ rest breaks during exams, you absolutely need medical evidence.

Would you believe some parents lie to get their child exempt from the rules?

Don’t show them but don’t expect to get what you want. If it was my child, I’d do whatever I needed to do to get it sorted and as quickly as possible. Anything else is just performance. All the school want is a letter saying that the ops daughter needs a toilet pass for medical reasons. Done!

You try removing a toilet pass from a pupil who misuses it. The parents go ballistic.
But they are completely failing their child.
And it’s all recorded, so when they try to blame the school for awful exam results, this is all thrown back at them.
How will a pupil get a reference for a good sixth form or for an apprenticeship, if they spend most of the day walking back and to from the bathroom. Who wants an employee like that?

Where i am the child doesn't need a diagnosis but gp will write a letter requesting a toilet pass, at a charge of £40.

I work in a high school. Most pupils ask to go to the toilet during lesson for these reasons, in order:

• work avoidance
• go on their phone
• vape
• vandalism

• to actually use the toilet

Ours are not locked. I'd say about 5-6 in each class have a toilet pass so it's not uncommon.
Schools are busy, crowded, noisy, dirty, sensory places, there's not really anywhere to just have a quiet minute. The sanctuary of a locked cubicle offers this. I guess it's a bit like being in a loud nightclub with flashy lights and thumping bass and people everywhere, having a quiet moment in the loo feels nice, doesn't it.
When pressed, many who complain that the queues are too long at break admit they just don't want to wait in a queue. Same with buying food. They just don't want to wait, they think waiting is for others/losers.

It’s absolutely disgusting they don’t let girls go to the toilet when needed in this day and age. A girl shouldn’t sit constantly worried throughout a lesson unable to concentrate as she thinks she might be leaking nor should someone with medical issues be worried about an urgent need for the loo. I’d be going to the governors.

My sons high school is the same. My son wees in the bushes, because otherwise he wouldn't get a chance to go, as the queues are too long at break time. Apparently a lot of kids do the same. Absolute disgrace

Is that not disability discrimination? They cant demand that level of personal info

I’m a bit in both camps as I work in Secondary.

Firstly speak to your GP, it may seem a little over the top and I fully appreciate it. Even if the GP declines anything (doubtful), speak to SEN and discuss the issues you have mentioned. You will likely need to send two emails to ensure heard.

Sadly going to the toilet during lessons in Secondary is VERY often used as avoidance of work, vaping, smoking, drugs, hiding, eating, bullying, drinking alcohol, meet up with friends as they prearrange times with friends, self harm etc, sadly more girls than boys - actually for using the toilet is the lesser of all. So SLT will be monitoring use especially new Yr7s for Safeguarding. When they know they can be trusted and not for above reasons they maybe issued a pass - logging is good as proof of use which you can use to your advantage.

Sanctions can be a 5 minute thing to encourage use for some in breaktimes and inbetween lessons, sometimes it is just a log and not a sanction to monitor some students especially Yr7s again for safeguarding. So whilst annoying please be reassured their safety is paramount. Students maybe adamant it’s for innocent reasons and it could be.

transition from Primary to Secondary is a big adjustment for some and I think Primaries could do more before hand. Yes we are aware yr7 struggle and we do help accommodate in the first term +.

Theyve said if you don't want to get a proper GP letter (they usually cost money), a copy of your notes will do. How else do they know who else needs help? It's not discrimination. It's how you access the pass.

That's like saying they should give out Blue Badges without checking your medical requirements. Just give one out to everyone that asks.

OP can't provide medical notes as she said she doesn't believe her daughter has a medical problem so hasn't yet even accessed a GP appointment yet, but apparently has booked one for next week now.

The thing is, several things can be true at the same time.

1. Some children do need to be able yo go whenever due to medical.issues.
2. Schools do need evidence for this as some parents WILL fake it, just like writing a note to get out of PE.
3. Many children will use toilet visits as a excuse to avoid work, disrupt lessons, do damage etc.
4. Schools do not have the resources to staff / police toilets nor the money to build better facilities.

This rule is ridiculous! What about girls on periods? Do the school need a doctors letter to confirm that a girl is on her period? I don’t really know what to advise but the school can’t demand medical records that’s insane. They can give their silly little ‘negatives’ if they want but they don’t mean squat in the grand scheme of things.
Ask if your doctor can write a fairly general letter maybe stating something like ‘Sarah has digestive issues and I would strongly recommend she be allowed to go to the toilet when required’. I would imagine the school would be very reluctant to go against medical advice even if they don’t have all the details.
I do have some sympathy for teachers because I imagine there are lots of kids who would take the absolute piss if the rules were too relaxed. But there has to be a more reasonable middle ground.

Were your DC the smartphone generation? Or vape? Unless you have worked in a secondary school you won’t understand how disruptive it has become.

That said, your daughter OP has a genuine reason. If you push this with her Head of Year they could provide a pass.